Feed water heater



Oct. 24, 1933. T. c. MCBRIDE FEED WATER HEATER Filed July 50, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 'TH o5. C. MEBFUDE /NVENTo/e AT RNEY Oct. 24, 1933. T, c, McBRlDE 1,932,114

FEED WATER HEATER Filed July 30, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 ToaC. IVWBFQDE.

IN VENTOR ATT RNEY Oct. 24, 1933. T. c. MCBRIDE FEED WATER HEATER Filed July zo, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Raaf/.912 BRIDE.

[NVE/V 0R A TT RNEY Oct. 24, 1933. T, c. McBRlDE 1,932,114

FEED WATER HEATER Filed Jul;r 30, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 aya" To HERTE.

com WATER To PUMP NVENTOR 21' 5l 24 ATTORNEY Oct. 24, 1933. C, MCBRIDE FEED WATER HEATER Filed July 30, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 lfsl M5952.) 6100 Miam @Nfl

T1105. C. NJEmme.

INVENTOR Patented Get. 24|, 1933 FEED WATER, HEATER Thomas C. McBride, Germantown, Pa., assignor to Vi/orthington Pump and Machinery Corporation, New York, Virginia N. Y., a corporation of Application July Sli, i930. Serial No. 471,612

12 Claims.

rFhis invention relates to feed Water heaters and more specifically to heaters forvuse on locomotives, such heaters utilizing part of the ex haust steam from the cylinders of the locomotives f to heat the boiler feed water.

Among the objects of the present invention are the provision of a feed water heater of the open or mrect contact type in which exhaust steam from the locomotive and from the pump structure 1o of the heater comes into direct contact with cold water sprayed into the heater, thereby heating the water and recovering the condensate from the exhaust steam for return to the boiler; heater which is simple in construction, efficient i5 in operation and is of compact size enabling. it to meet the space and weight limitations of a lo comotive and one with a minimum number of parts within the heater of such type as to require the heater to be opened for attention.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a feed water heater structure, a feed pump of simple construction which can be conveniently attached to a locomotive and which embodies a special provision to equalize the amounts of cold and hot water pumped regardless of wide variations in the speed of the pump and further to provide a complete feed water heater apparatus which is of such a character that it may be placed on a locomotive without detracting from the appearance of the locomotive and with its weight advantageously distributed.

More specifically, the presentl invention com-v prises a feed water heater structure embodying a heater proper, constructed and designed to be placed on or partly in the smoke box of a locomotive either in front of or behind the stack and one in which the pump consists of a steam cylinder that operates a cold water supply pump cylinder and hot water or boiler feed pump cylinder. The pump cylinders are preferably of direct acting displacement type and deliver to and take from the heater proper thel predetermined portions of water necessary to supply the desired slight excess of water in the heater with proper allowance for the condensate from the exhaust steam used in the heating.

The heater proper embodies means whereby the level of water in the heater may be regulated, such level being determined by an overflow outlet or passage which opens into the heater at approximately the desired level of water therein. This overiiow outlet serves also as an exhaust or outlet for the air which collects in the heater, permitting suchair to pass out of the heater with the slight excess of water provided. The excess water and the air from the heater are delivered to a suitable separating chamber in which the air rises to the top of the chamber and passes out through an air vent which is always open to atmosphere, while the excess water falls to the bottom of the chamber and under control of a suitable bucket or float, is delivered to the cold water pump cylinder or to the cold water suction pipethrough a suitable return valve.

W ith these and other objects in view, as may appear from the accompanying specification, the invention consists of various features of construction and combination of parts, which will be first described in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing a feed water heater of the preferred form embodying the invention, and the features forming the invention will be specifically pointed out in the claims.

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of the improved feed water heater structure showing it applied to a locomotive.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the improved feed water heaterstructure showing it applied to alocomotive.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the heater proper.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the heater taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through the heater taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section through the heater taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section through the heater taken on the line 6 7 of Fig. 4 of the drawings. 2.10

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section through the heater taken on the line 6 8 of Fig. 4 of the drawings.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the separator embodied in the feed water heater structure.

Fig. 10 is a view of the feed pump partly in side eievation and partly insection.

Fig. il is a vertical section through the pump structure taken on the line ll-ll of Fig. 10.

y Fig. i2 is a detailed View partly in section of the cold water pump.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary section through the smoke box of a locomotive showing a modified form of mounting certain of the pipes embodied in the feed Water heater installation.

Figure 14 is a diagrammatic view showing the feed water heating system.

eferring more particularly to the drawings, the feed water heater structure is composed of the feed water heater 1, to which cold water is-ll0 vplaced upon a locomotive without detracti pumped from the tender (not shown) or a locomotive and hot water pumped 'therefrom to the boiler of the locomotive by the pump structure 2, While excess water from the heater l is returned to the pump structure 2 through a separator 3 in which separator the air is separat-ed from the water and allowed to escape to the atinosp" ere.

As shown particularly in l and 2 oi the drawings, these various units oi the complete iced Water heater installation are oi such sise and are so designed that they may be conven the appearance of the locomotive and with th Weight of the feed water heater installation adm vantageously distributed.

Referring particularly to the feed water heater l, this heater comprises a housing l0 having attaching ll thereon intermediate its top and bottoni so that the heater may be partly inserted into the smoke box oi a locomotive, infdcated at A, either in front of the stach as mown in Fig. l or the drawings or in the rear ci the stack if it is so desired. The ileater is inserted into the smoke boi; with oni a sufficient por tion of its body or housing projecting alcove the top of the smoke box to permit connection thereto of the Vsmallerpipes required in the feed water heater installation. Y

The housing or box l0 has a inlet 12 therein, which is connected byva suitableV pipe as indicated at 13 with the exhaust outlet from the cylinders C of the locomotive so that a part of the exhaust steam vfrom the cylinders C will enter the passage or chamber in the heater body 10 and pass throughthe steam check valves 13 into the heatingchaniber le, where the stean'i will Contact with the cold water delivered to the heater bythe pump structure 2. The cold water is sprayed into the heating chamber by of'a suitable sprayer l5 of any approved form so as to permit maximum Contact of the water and steam for heating the Water and condensing the steam. The heated water and the condensate falls from the heating chamber lli into the hotl from which it is drawn by the pump structure 2 t ough the hot water outlet pipe 1'?. The hot water drawn from the chamber 'lo the heater structure l is delivered by the puinpstructure 2 to the boiler check D through the pipe 18 and conse quently into thel boiler of the locomotive.

The pump structure 2 comprises 'the hot water pump cylinder 2l which withdraws heated water Water chamber 16 of the feed water heater from the heater l and delivers it to tho'boiler oi.

permits the piston (not shown) oi the steam cylinder 23 to be pushed out into the housing 22 for inspection and replacement of the piston rings oi the steam piston. Both housings 2l are provided with front or outer openings or" suicient sizeto permit removal of cylinder heads and the steam piston when necessary and these housings are cast integral with thesteam cylinder 23', thus securing ccurate aligrhnent in niachining and also accurate and'pormanent location s .al The length oi the opening oi the four bolt holes 23 and the four feet 23a, which are used to attach the pumping unit to the locomotive.

The pumping unit or pump 2 as clearly shown in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, is independent of the heater proper l is placed at any convenient location on the locomotive but preferably on the oi the locomotive beneath the running board where the various connections to it will be direct and short.

The cold water cylinder 22 ci the pumping .t 2 draws the cold water from the tender (not shown) of the locomotive through the cold water ipe 2li and delivers through the pipe 25 into Le cold. water passage 2S formed in the cover 27 the reed water heater l. The passage 26 delivers t Ae cold water to the sprayer l5.

The heated water and condensate accumulates in the hot water hamber i6 of the feed water heater until it reaches the lower open end 28 of the overflow 2Q and further accumulation oi water in the hot water chamber i6 causes the excess water to overiiow through the overflow passage 2e, which overflow passage also serves as an outlet for air from 'the feed water heater. There is a Jays a slight pressure of exhaust steam the ter when the pumping unit is in operation which pressure serves to force the air and excess water out oi the heater through the 23? and from the passage 29 through the 3o to the separator 3.

Air er: ,s 'vater from the heater enters the hotly El oL tile ce" ator 3 through the pipe air to toe top of the chamber or oi the body of separator and passes air vent 32 to the atsnos-l ci the drawings, a pipe 33 the air vent 'out this it is so desired own Vonnected to pipe may be dispensed with if l, the'excess water 5 through its open sinks and uncovers the openo the drawings, which through the openthe connection 34 to to the cold water sucthe 35, the bucket 'n the water in the and cuts on the valve Vuntil the flow of water to the vel the se water 3 rises to a ot hei ht to noodY float or bucket 3 and car es it to sini; and o'- n the ports 38.

The i urn valve 36 wm h is more specifically shown in l2 the drawings, is substantially an additional suction. valve of the cold water pump cylinder 2,2 and it is also in eiect, a nonreturn valve in the vwhich permits Water to enter the pump cylinder from the separator 3 W, en the piston is moving away from the valve, .prevents return o" water compels its arge through the discharge when the pump piston moving towards the return valve.

The springs 39 which serve to seat the valve disc 4() in the return valve structure 36 and the springs 41 on the suction valve 42 of the pump, are selected of such tension that return of water from the separator is favored as kcompared to suction of cold water from the tender through the pipe 24 and any returned water entering the cold water pump through the return valve 36, results in a corresponding reduction of water taken from the tender.

The above described structure constitutes a complete feed Water heating and boiler feeding system. The pumping unit 2 is started, stopped or operated at any particular speed necessary to meet the requirements of the boiler of a locomotive under control of a throttle valve (not shown) The operation of the cold water and hot water pump cylinders of the pumping unit from the same steam cylinder, secures a supply of cold Water to the heater that is always quite closely proportional to the amount `of hot water taken from the heater but the amount of excess steam condensed in the heater during the heating of the cold water varies to a considerable extent with the varying temperatures of the cold Water and the pressures of the exhaust steam. -There is therefore a considerable variation in the amount of exhaust steam condensed in the heater and consequently in the amount of condensate added to the volume of water entering the heater. This latter variation is taken care of by an overflow of water from the heater through the passage 29, separator 3 and return valve 36, with the amount of cold water taken from the tender reduced vby the amount of water, including the condensate returned from the heater. Meantime, the air which tends to collect in the heater passes out through the pipe 30 and the vent 32 and incidentally the air is taken from the part of the .heater 1 best suited to the heating effect desired because it is taken from the point farthest removed from the inlet for cold water and exhaust steam to the heating chamber 14.

However, diiiiculty sometimes arises in maintaining the proper proportions of cold water supplied to the heater 1 and hot water taken therefrom. This difculty arises from the fact that the -cold water pump 22 delivers against a low discharge pressure, Whereas the hot water pump 21 delivers against a high discharge pressure, namely, the boiler pressure of the locomotive. Because of this condition, there is but little slip or leakage of the piston and pump valve of the cold water pump 22 whereas there is considerable slip in the hot water pump 21. The slip is best expressed in quantity as lost motions of the pump or strokes per minute of the pump equivalent to the rate of leakage of water through the parts of the pump.

The slip of the cold water pump is very small but to simplify a description ofthe problem involved might be assumed to be equivalent to one lost motion or one stroke per minute. At any speed below one stroke per minute,y the cold water pump would not deliver any water to the heater 1. At any speed above one stroke per minute the pump would deliver an amount of water to the heater roughly equivalent to the volume displaced'by the piston less the volume of one displacement per minute. The hot water pump might have a slip equivalent to four lost motions of four strokes per minute, taking no water from the heater at pump speeds of less than four strokes per minute and at higher speeds taking `from the heater a volume of Water equivalent to that indicated by the pump speed less four strokes per. minute. At very slow speeds of the pump and particularly at the crawling speeds that result from leakage of the pump throttle valve or lubricator, this difference in slip of the two pumps may cause an overflow and waste of water from the air vent 32 because more ex'- cess water is supplied to the heater than can be taken care of by the return valve 36 'of the cold water pump 22 at the very low speed of that pump. l

As an illustration, it .might be presumed that the .pump was running at the rate of six strokes per minute either because of steam leakage through the throttle valve and lubricator (not shown) or a very slight opening of the pump throttle valve. Under these conditions and with the pump slip assumed above, the hot water pump cylinder would remove onlytwo displacements of water per minute from the heater, whereas the cold water pump cylinder would deliver ive displacements of water to the heater. The diierence of three displacements of water per minute plus the condensate added to the cold water in the heater l would then have to be taken care of by the return valve 36 withthe cold water pump cylinder running at but six strokes per minute and delivering the equivalent in water of ve strokes per minute. Since but one return valve 36 is used, only alternate strokes of the cold water pump cylinder, handle the excess water returned from the heater and the equivalent of only two and onehalf displacements of the cold water pump cylinder per minute maximum could be returned to the heater, whereas the equivalent of five displacements per minute plus condensate is delivered to the heater 1.

Under these conditions, with ve displacements of the cold pump going to the heater and two and one half displacements of the cold pump returned from the heater with only two displace-...

ments taken from the heater by the hot pump, there is a possibility of two much water in the heater and overow and waste of water from the air vent.

To overcome the condition described above, a deliberate leak in the cold water pump or bypass to the cold water pump is providedin the improved heater, which leak is equivalent to the difference in slip of the cold and hot water pumps, that is, equivalent to approximately three displacements per minute of the cold water pump. This deliberate leak in the cold water pump might take the form of a small hole 50 through the piston 51 (see Fig. v1f) of the drawings), or, when the excess water that has overfiowed from the heater is returned to the cold pump suction through the alternate pipe 53 (shown in dot and f dash lines in Fig. l) instead of the return valve, by

a bypass 55 from the cold pump discharge 25 to A 7^ tage tor cool the water overflowing from the chamber 16 to the separator 3 and passing tothe re-` turn valve 36 or cold Water suctionpipel through the alternate pipe 53,k in order to secure betterfrf,

action of the return valve and to reduce steam discharge from the air vent 32 with the air.

An arrangement to secure theseresults is shownl in Fig. 8 of the drawings, and comprises a connection 54 with the passage 55 in the. heater body 1. The passage 55 establishes communication between the cold Water supply pipe 25 and the passage 26 vin the heater. Cold Water passes throughthe connection or pipe 54, check valve 55 and cold water jet. or nozzle 56 into the overflow pipe 30 in the direction of the separator 3. The cooling of the water and air in the pipe 30 ,by the cold Water introduced into it through the rjet 56 provides cooled water for the return valve 36 and insures better operation of that valve lbecauseit has only water tov handle, and not a mixture of steam generated by the suction effect of the return valve and it also reduces the aniountof steam discharged withthe air from the air vent 32. Y

The exhaust'checl valves i3 of the feed water heaters of the general open or contact type described, are opened bythe exhaust steam from the locomotive cylinders as it enters the heater. This exhaust steam reaches the heater in violent pulsations particularly at'low speeds of the lo.

comotive butv there is some little flow of steam between ypulsations tending to'leep the check valve l3 open or nearly so and therefore subject to but Ilittle wear as far as this part of the supply of exn hauststearn is conc rned However, the exhaust steam from the pumping unit 2, which is delivVM ered to the heating chamber 'la through the pipe 58 also reaches the heater in'violent pulsations and causes an instantaneous rise in the pressure Since it is adY mitted to the heating Vchamber' 1e of the "heater` of exhaust steam in the heater.

through the passage 59, it enters the heater on the opposite side of the check valve 13 from the side of the heater at which the locomotive exhaust steam enters, causing an instantaneous'rise in pressure in the heater and violent closing of the exhaust check valves i3. This alternate closing of the exhaust check valves 13 hy the lexhaust .from the steam cylinder 23 of the pu1np'2 and opening by the next impulse oi?v exhaust steam from the'locornotive cylinders, Akeeps these valves in continuous'operation and subject to wear.

y'lo overcome this condition the lpresent imjproved heater is designed so that the exhaust steam from the steam cylinder 23 or the pump 2 reaches 'the passageway 59 andl enters a compartment v60 inthe cover 27 of the heater 1 and is directed in a broad stream against the spray .of cold water entering the heating chamber 14 from the sprayer l5 by the partition 61. The

defiecting o1' guiding of the pumpexhaust steam against `the incoming spray of cold Water by the partition 6l causes pump exhaust steam to be condensed-before it can cause any'appreciable increase in pressure the ,heater and consequently the exhaust steam valves 13 remain at their open or nearly open position and the wear of the valves is materially reduced. Y

In Figs. 1 and 2 oi the drawings, the pipes 25, 30 and 58 are shown as extending to the heater body l exteriorally or aiong the outside of the curvature oi the smoke box A of the locomo- Y tive and thus are exposed or exhibited. in some instancesvwhere it is desirable to maintain as symmetrical an appearance of the locomotive as possible, it may be desired Ato hide'the vertically rising portions of these pipes from view and suchV an arrangement is villustrated in Fig. 130i the drawings where the smoke box A isprowidely modifiedwithin the. invention defined by the claims.V

`1What is claimed is:

1. In a feed water heater for locomotiveavthe combination, of a heater, a. pump for supplying water tothe heater, and a separator for receiving overflow ci excess water `from the :heater `and having lcommunication, with said pump to return said excess water thereto and means `withinsaid separatorior cutting `off communication between the separator and pump at predetermined times.

2, In a feed Water heater for locOInOtves, tht` combination, of a heater having hot water chai/n1 ber, said heater having an overiiow passage communicating Withsaid hot Water chamber, a sep-l arator for receivingexcess water and air from said chamber through said overflow passage, said separator provided with a vent always open to atmosphere to permit escape of air fromthe separator, a pump for supplying cold water to thev heater, a return vvalve on said pump,` said separaf.v

tor delivering excess water to said `pump kthrough saidreturn valve, anda iioatrin said separator for contioliingthe delivery of `water tfrom the;

separator to the pump.

3. in a feed Water heater for locomotives, the combination,l of a heater, a pump for supplying 'water to the heater, a separator for receiving overflow oi excess water from the heater and having communication with the pumpto lreturn said excess water thereto, and means for inject-Vy ing a jet of cold water into the excess ',water during its passageto said separator. v

e. n a feediwater vheatenior locomotives, :the

chamber, said heater having an` overflow passage chamber through said overflow passage, saidseparator provided with a vent always open to atmosphere to permit escapeoi air'fromsaid separator, and means for injecting a jet of Water into the excessA Water and air-during itspassage to,

for receiving excess water and air from Vsaid chamber through' said passage, a pump for dev 120,. combination of a 'heater having a hot VWater-- l opening into the hot water chamber, a separator; v

for receiving excessfwaterj and air from said;`

livering Water tothe heater, said separator delivering thefexcess water to said pumnand a nozzle having communication with the kdelivery passage of water to -the heater' and extending intothe passage for excess Water to the separator r' for injecting a jet'of waterr intothe excess water .1

and air during-the passage to saidseparator.

6. In a feed Water heater, a heater body, a separator for receiving excess WaterV and air from 145 j Vthe heater body,-azpump for delivering water-to Vthe heater, said separator connectedto sadpump toreturn the excessivlat'erxto, the pump,'said Ipump having a suction valve and a return valve for controlling entranceof Water into .the pump,

said return valve controlling entrance of said excess water into said pump, said return valve being under less tension and more responsive than said suction valve whereby the entrance o returned excess water into the pump will be favored.

7. In a feed water heater, the combination with a heater proper of a pump unit for delivering cold water to the heater body and withdrawing heated water therefrom, said pumping unit comprising a steam cylinder and hot and cold water pumps operated by said steam cylinder, said cold water pump provided with a bypass to permit leakage of a predetermined quantity or" water pumped for properly proportioning the outputs or the cold water and hot water pumps at predetermined times.

8. In a feed water heater, the combination with a heater proper, of a pumping unit for delivering cold water to the heater body and withdrawing heated water therefrom, said pumping unit comprising a steam cylinder and hot and cold water pumps including reciprocating pistons operated by said steam cylinder, the piston of said cold Water pump provided with a bypass opening to permit leakage past the piston of a predetermined quantity or water pumped for properly proportioning the outputs of the cold water and hot water pumps.

9. In a feed water heater, a heater body, a separator for receiving excess water and air from said heater body, a pumping unit for delivering cold water to the heater body and withdrawing heated water therefrom, said pumping unit comprising a steam cylinder and hot and cold water pumps operated by the steam cylinder, said cold water pump having a suction valve and a return valve for controlling entrance of water into the pump, said return valve controlling entrance of said excess water into the pump and being under less tension and more responsive than said suction valve whereby the entrance of returned excess water into the pump will be favored, said cold water pump provided with a bypass opening to permit leakage of a predetermined quantity of water pumped for properly proportioning the outputs of the cold water and hot water pumps at predetermined times.

10. In a feed water heater, a heater body, a separator for receiving excess water aind air from said heater body, a pumping unit for delivering water to and withdrawing water from said Aheater body, said pumping unit comprising a steam cylinder and hot and cold Water pumps including reciprocatory pistons operated by said steam cylinder, the piston of said cold water pump provided with a bypass opening to permit leakage past the piston of a predetermined quantity or" water pumped for properly proportioning the outputs of the cold water and hot water pumps at predetermined times, said cold water pump having a suction valve and a return valve for controlling entrance of water into the pump, said return valve controlling entrance of said excess water into said pump.

1l. In a feed water heater, a heater body, having a heating chamber therein, a pumping unit for delivering water to or withdrawing water from the heater body, a sprayer for spraying water to be heated into said heating chamber, said heater body provided with a passageway ior delivering exhaust steam from said pumping unit to said heating chamber, said passageway opening into the heating chamber outwardly of the discharge or" said sprayer,

and means in the heater body for directing the discharge of said sprayer and at a point remote i from said check valves, and a partition in the heater body for directing the pump exhaust steam in substantially a flat sheet against the spray of water for condensing the pump exhaust steam and preventing its pressure from acting on said check valves.

. THOMAS C. MCBRIDE 

